Sleep disorders are not new, but they have been amplified by the global pandemic that began just one year ago. A recent survey, Philips' Global Sleep Survey, revealed that 70 per cent out of the 13,000 people surveyed across 13 countries had to deal with a new sleep challenge during the past year. While it is advisable to consult a health professional in the event of persistent disorders, certain practices can give you a helping hand to benefit from restorative sleep every day.
You're tired so you go to bed, but end up tossing and turning under your comforter without being able to get to sleep. That's a scenario that millions of people around the world are familiar with, and which can harm health and morale in the long run. And that's just the falling-asleep part! Restless nights, night wakings, even insomnia, are just as harmful, if not worse, for your body, your concentration, and even your quality of life.
Several tips, including some that may surprise you and many linked to common sense, can help us go to bed in the best conditions. Experts from France's National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance (INVS) recommend, first of all, to cut down on stimulants, namely coffee and certain soft drinks and energy drinks. You may be saying, well, everybody knows that but it's not as straightforward as it may seem considering that they recommend stopping them after 2pm, early in the day in fact. In the same vein, while it's recommended to have an evening meal, it is better to avoid overly fatty dishes and favour carbohydrates
Give up some screentime
Again, it seems like simple common sense, and yet it is difficult to turn off or put away the television, computer, tablet or smartphone that punctuate our workdays as well as our leisure time. Here again, sleep experts are putting the kibosh on it! It is recommended not to stay glued to the screens throughout the day and to alternate screentime with physical and manual activities.
